Conjugal Rights in Flux in Medieval Poetry Page: 52
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different classes of voices she hears. Although Chaucer is first led by Scipio the Elder in his
dream, as Scipio was, he finds himself on his own shortly after entering the gate. In addition, the
narrator initially evokes Cytherea, or Venus, to be his writing muse and to "help [him] in this, for
[she] mayst best" (1. 116), even though Scipio the Elder states that he "shal [him] shewen mater
of to wryte" (1. 168). As soon as Chaucer enters the garden, he enters into a feminine realm and
aligns himself with the feminine formel eagle whom resists adhering to conventions. Although
Hansen does not understand Nature's realm to be a matriarchy, I think that it is helpful to
recognize it as sharing many of the same qualities as one.116 For instance, Nature is the head of
the bird society-she is described as a queen, goddess, creator, and judge: "Ther sat a queen" (1.
298); "Was set this noble goddess Nature" (1. 303); "Of braunches were hir crafte and hir
mesure" (1. 304); and "To take hir doom and yeve hir audience" (1. 308). By placing Nature as
the authoritative figure, the more typical masculine guide is cast to the side. Moreover,
Chaucer's narrator is most aligned with the position of the formel as he is ultimately being asked
to choose which suitor he deems worthiest as well. Although the narrator remains impressed by
the male eagles' speeches, he, like the formel, never reveals which eagle he thinks would be the
best match for her.
By withholding the formel's final consent, Chaucer highlights one of the ways a maiden
might be able to navigate the patriarchal legal system and supports a feminine conception of law
through a female authority, Nature, which supports such a delay. The formel places her own
desires above all others' in this instance by asking for a year's recess and in doing so provides an
alternate way of conceiving of a female's role in courtship. Although Hansen argues that the
formel will be made to choose a mate the next year, I agree with Matlock's assessment that the52
116 Hansen, 115.
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Ward, Jessica D. Conjugal Rights in Flux in Medieval Poetry, thesis, May 2014; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500176/m1/57/?rotate=0: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .